Adho Mukha Svanasana - Downward Dog

by sharon pageDecember 24, 20132 min read

I will always remember in one of my first yoga classes when the teacher said that Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward dog) was a resting pose. I thought right! There is no way this pose is about rest. We had been in downward dog for about two minutes and my arms were aching and I was beginning to grind my jaw thinking that I must hold this pose at all costs. From my experience, in the real world or my corporate world, you win at all costs. I came with that attitude no matter what my body was telling me.

When I had the chance to train with Baron Baptiste, I was excited to jump into it until the first night. He held us in downward facing dog for ten minutes over and over again, and I thought I was going to cry and run out of the room.

Now, I love the downward facing dog after being in practice these past few years. I realized that I had a lot of fear of failing and downward dog was good at telling me that. Back then, I thought breathwork was something expectant mothers practiced before birth. When I started out practicing, I didn't understand that deeper breath allows for ease of movement and lets me go deeper into my body. Breathing in the tension of the body and breathing out and releasing everything out of the body is possible with breath.

Every pose is similar, but we add our own limitations. I had my butt sticking in the air, feeling totally vulnerable, and my arms and legs stretched out as if about to be quartered. I repressed being vulnerable. I didn't like it. Slowly, I have gained a better self awareness of my fears and now I allow the practice to guide me as I allow my body the movement it wants rather following what my head says. Once I did this, a revolution started happening within.

We all have our downward dog—it could be dancer, crow or savasana that represents what at times we don't want to face. Adho Mukha Svanasana is a beautiful pose that I named Mukha Yoga after. In Sanskrit, "Mukha" means facing. We are all facing something in our lives—a new journey, a new place, breakups, death, birth. Out of my own challenges came Mukha Yoga. What's your pose that challenges you? Take a deep dive. See what you find.

Meet Our Writers

Our Writers

Julie Bertagna

Julie Bertagna is a 500 RYT and certified Baptiste yoga teacher who teaches Baptiste power yoga and recovery yoga at Namaspa Yoga & Massage, as well as in her home studio, The Yoga Loft, in Bend. She is a mother and a grandmother, she loves the outdoors, and she still pursues dental hygiene one day a week! In the summer, she spends time at her partner's retreat venue, Vernonia Springs, which puts on retreats and special events. More information about Julie’s offerings can be found on her website, www.juliebertagnayoga.com.

Liz Skarvelis

Yoga is everything to Liz. It's her physical and spiritual practice, her political action, and her love song to both herself and the world. She started practicing yoga in college and grew her roots when she moved to San Francisco in 2008. She practiced Bhakti Yoga (yoga of love and devotion) at Yoga Tree Castro with Janet Stone, who she considers her first and primary teacher. Yoga brings her freedom of mind, stillness of spirit, and strength of being that she strives to share with others. Her classes are soft and strong and everything in between; she includes meditation, breath work, and space to connect you to your truest self. You can also expect a few helpings of (occasionally funny) humor. For more information, go to her website: www.lovebirdyoga.com

Fae Leslie Hoffman

Fae is a butterfly leaf girl. She teaches yoga, cartwheels in the rain, reads ferociously, and is learning how to listen to stillness. Fae has been published in The Southampton Review, elephant journal, Mukha Yoga, and writes best barefoot. She completed her 200-hour teacher training with Leslie Pearlman and is trained in Vinyasa with a fierce Forrest influence. She is also certified in Thai massage and has taught in New York, Thailand, Oregon, Wisconsin, and deep in the backwoods of California. Yoga makes her brave.

Zia Estrella

An exotic stargazer from the land of the intuitive ones, Zia embodies physicality, possibility, and empowerment in lighthearted playfulness. She loves the truth with allherheart and lives it with allherbeing. She grounds down intoherdeep dark Taína roots to rise. Humbled to practice and study yoga since 2007, she lives in wholeness, giving full credit to each and every emotion she experienceswhileembracing the power of the now moment. Shiftingherperspective to realize the eternal inner light within isher Dharma. She got turned upsidedown on the True North path of yoga and she rememberedherPrem - TruthLoveBeauty. This isherdeepest source of empowerment, creativity, joy and peace. May she transform darkness into light throughherown journey and serve all beings everywhere in truth, love and beauty. Learn more at www.scorpiorisingyoga.com

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Adho Mukha

Adho Mukha in Sanskrit means "Facing", Our name Mukha Yoga came about because in our life's we are all on a journey of some kind and as we stand to look and face them we are reminded through yoga to breathe and flow